Hi

Here is our Hope Village May 2026 Newsletter. We hope you enjoy it!

Do you want to support affordable housing AND love having treasure sales?!

We're having a pop-up sale at our storage shed out by Dollar General on Memorial Day weekend and need some help! If you can pick up a shift or 2 to volunteer at our sale we'd really be grateful! Check out this link for more information and to sign up to help!!

Thank you all so much for your support!!

Gov. Evers visits Hope Village in Earth Week tour

From Senator Jeff Smith's Newsletter

This week the Governor and I learned more about Hope Village - Tiny House Alternatives, Inc and their innovative work to offer tiny housing options to support people experiencing homelessness in the Chippewa Valley. Also on hand during the tour were members of the Chippewa Falls High School Green Team who were there to demonstrate their work to build solar panels to power the houses.So many lives have been touched by Hope Village and the fresh start they offer to those in need of shelter. Guests in the program also have mentors who keep in daily contact and meet in-person once a week. That’s real support and guidance, not just a place to sleep at night. Thanks to all the staff, board directors and financial supporters of this project for making something like this possible for the Chippewa Valley.

A HUGE thank-you to the amazing members of English Lutheran Church in Bateman!

We are incredibly grateful for this generous donation of toilet paper and paper towels—as you can see, it’s truly a blessing! These everyday essentials make a big difference for the families and residents we support at Hope Village.
Your kindness, generosity, and willingness to step up for our community do not go unnoticed. Thank you for helping us meet practical needs in such a meaningful way. 💛
We are so thankful to have partners like English Lutheran Church – Bateman walking alongside us in this work.

DIRTY JOB ALERT - WE NEED WRANGLERS!

Well folks, the grass is growing faster than a teenager with a growth spurt — and so are the dandelions.

It’s that magical time of year when we assemble our brave mowing crew to wrestle Mother Nature back into submission.

If you take pride in making a yard look like something out of a magazine (or at least slightly less like a jungle), we need you!We’ve got four trusty riding mowers, a push mower, a weed trimmer, and all the gear you’ll need to battle the green beast.

Here’s the deal: Spare 90 minutes a week? That’s all it takes.

We’re building a rotating team, so you’ll likely only mow once or twice a month. Mowing happens between Thursday and Sunday — you pick the day and time.

This year, we’ve got TWO properties: Hope Village and the Indianhead project — so we really need some extra hands (and feet)! If you like sunshine, fresh air, the sweet sound of a roaring mower, and the satisfaction of seeing a perfectly mowed field... this dirty job is for YOU!.

Connect with Pauline or Mike by sending an email to director@hopevillagechippewafalls.org if you are interested!

You’ll earn bragging rights, our eternal gratitude, and maybe even a dandelion bouquet.

Two Important Legislative Visits

Last week, Hope Village had the privilege of welcoming two important legislative visits that allowed decision‑makers to see our work up close and personal.

On Tuesday, the United Way hosted the Legislative Impact Tour, where business owners, United Way staff, and local legislators toured our campus and learned how our Tiny Home Program and affordable housing rental units support housing stability in the Chippewa Valley.

On Wednesday, staff from U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office visited Hope Village for a firsthand look at how our programs respond to homelessness with dignity, structure, and community support.

These visits matter. When legislators can see the spaces, hear the stories, and understand how housing‑first approaches work at the local level, it helps inform policies that truly reflect the needs of our neighbors.

We’re grateful for the time, thoughtful questions, and continued interest in solutions that strengthen housing stability and reduce homelessness right here in our community.

Hope Village: A 10-Year Journey

Ten years ago, Hope Village began with a simple but powerful belief: every person deserves dignity, community, and a safe place to begin again.

What started as an idea and a conversation has grown into a ministry and community effort that has impacted countless lives. In those early days, there were many questions — could a tiny home community really work in our area? Would people support it? Could we create something that balanced accountability, compassion, and hope?

Step by step, volunteer by volunteer, donation by donation, Hope Village began to take shape.

Over the past decade, we have seen churches, businesses, community members, and volunteers come together around a shared mission: helping individuals experiencing homelessness stabilize their lives and move toward a better future. What makes Hope Village special is not just the tiny houses themselves, but the relationships built within the community.

From the beginning, our goal has never been simply to provide shelter. We wanted to create a place where people could experience encouragement, support, and the opportunity for a fresh start. Along the way, we have celebrated many success stories — guests finding employment, reconnecting with family, improving their health, securing permanent housing, and rediscovering purpose and confidence.

Today, Hope Village stands as a reminder of what can happen when a community chooses compassion over indifference and action over words.

As we look back over the last 10 years, we are incredibly grateful for everyone who has played a part in this journey — volunteers, staff, churches, donors, community partners, and neighbors. Your support has helped transform lives.

And while we are proud of how far Hope Village has come, we believe the mission is just beginning.

Thank you for walking alongside us these past 10 years.

— Hope Village

Sharon's Story

When meeting Sharon, the first thing you notice is her genuine smile.

Sharon is a sixty-year-old educated member of the Chippewa Valley workforce, who found herself with no place to go. Her story of homelessness began shortly after the loss of her loving husband. Due to circumstances beyond her control, Sharon was unable to remain in her home. After a period of living out of a hotel in the area, Sharon’s family encouraged her to apply for a tiny house at Hope Village.

Sharon says it was not easy to admit to needing help, she was humbled and blessed when accepted to move into a tiny house.

Delighted to reveal her fresh start home, she chuckles remembering her granddaughter said, “Grandma it is really cute, but it is kinda small.”

Thirty-three days is how long Sharon had been in her tiny home. She says she spent a lot of time outside on the porch reading her bible or visiting the YMCA.

What I really liked about living at Hope Village was the peace I found, it was so peaceful. And I slept soundly in the tiny house, like a deep sleep, I was so very well rested.

The Hope Village staff were terrific, and the mentors so supportive. Everyone was so very considerate of me, many of the area churches and members were very kind and my Navigator was eager to help me. During the time spent at Hope Village, Sharon says she was able to manage her life and build up savings for when she was on her own again.

And moving into a home of her own is what Sharon did! With the encouragement of Sharon’s family, and the support of Hope Village, she found a home in Chippewa Falls. Sharon says her new home is a miracle and cannot believe how much room there is.

Sharon, says she will be forever grateful to Hope Village and family!

Thank you Chippewa Falls Rotary Club! 

Great partnership.

The Indianhead Motel Transformation
The place is hopping with activity!

Work continues to move forward at an exciting pace on the Indianhead Motel Conversion Project, and major progress has already been completed both inside and out.

The Indianhead Motel has long been a recognizable landmark in our community, remembered by many for its iconic Indianhead sign that greeted travelers for decades. For years, the motel served as a stopping place for visitors passing through the area, becoming part of the history and memories of countless local residents. Today, that familiar property is being given new life with a renewed purpose — providing safe, quality housing and hope for individuals in our community.

Exterior and interior demolition work has now been completed. Inside the building, walls were taken down to the studs so additional soundproofing and fire-resistant materials could be added to improve both safety and comfort for future residents.

All bathrooms were completely demolished and rebuilt with new moisture-resistant sheetrock for damp areas. New shower stalls have already been installed, and all new electrical wiring has been completed in every unit.

Outside, the old shingles have been removed in preparation for a brand-new metal roof. Windows and doors throughout the building are also being replaced with new energy-efficient models.

In the coming weeks, the project will begin to take on an entirely new appearance as the final windows and doors are installed, the new metal roof is completed, and new siding is added around the entire building.

Inside, crews will soon complete the sheetrock installation, followed by new bathroom fixtures, kitchenettes, and flooring in each unit.

We are excited to share that applications are now being accepted, with units expected to become available in late August or by September 1.

Thank you to everyone supporting this important project as we work to preserve a piece of local history while creating new opportunities and hope for the future.

Phase 2 Brings New Housing Opportunities

Hope Village is excited to share continued progress toward Phase 2 of our housing expansion project.

We have received a preliminary award letter for the development and have recently completed the environmental review process. The project is currently in the required public posting period prior to final approval. We are hopeful that the final award process will be completed by June 1, allowing construction to begin in July of 2026.

Phase 2 will include the construction of two additional 6-plex buildings and two duplex units on the Hope Village campus. This expansion represents another important step in addressing the growing need for safe, stable, and affordable housing in our community.

When combined with the Indianhead Motel Conversion Project, Hope Village will grow to a total of 52 housing units, including:

• 26 efficiency units
• 8 one-bedroom apartments
• 6 two-bedroom apartments
• 12 three-bedroom apartments

This combination of housing options will allow Hope Village to better serve individuals, couples, and families with a variety of housing needs.

What began years ago as a vision to provide dignity, stability, and hope continues to grow into a larger community effort to create long-term housing solutions for those facing housing insecurity.

We are deeply grateful to our supporters, community partners, volunteers, and staff who continue to make this work possible. We look forward to sharing more updates as the project moves toward final approval and construction.

We want to thank our financial contributors for this past month

Boos, Eileen
Bortnem, Jane
Burgess, Caleb
Cherrier, Joseph & Lynn
Christopherson, Lisa
Cooke, Mathew
Drehmel, Thomas & Janice
Froelich, Ken & Shirley IMO Jeanne Wright
Froelich, Ken & Shirley IMO Pam Danielson
Great Northern Corporation
Hebert, Dick & Karen
Jacob's Well
Lausted, Diana
Lenhart, Ned & Jill
McCormick, Will & Danielle
Podolak, Ricky
Rosenow, Richard & Ruth
Zawacki, Kevin & Kathleen

Giving Items a Second Life — and People a Fresh Start

One of the quiet but incredibly important ministries at Hope Village happens every day through our Donation and Resale Team.

Thanks to the generosity of our community, Hope Village continues to receive an amazing variety of donated items — furniture, household goods, décor, tools, clothing, building materials, and many other useful items. These donations not only help meet needs directly, but many are also resold to generate funding that supports the mission and daily operations of Hope Village.

Simply put, donated items become opportunities to create housing, provide support, and offer hope to people rebuilding their lives.

The challenge today is actually a good one: we are blessed with more donated items than our current volunteer team can process and resell. To keep up with the growing volume, we are looking for additional volunteers who would enjoy helping organize, sort, display, price, photograph, transport, or sell donated items.

Some volunteers may enjoy working behind the scenes organizing inventory, while others may enjoy helping with online listings, occasional sales events, pickups, or customer interaction. There are opportunities for many different skill sets and schedules.

Every item sold helps support the larger mission of Hope Village — creating safe housing, restoring dignity, and helping people move toward stability and independence.

Many people may not realize it, but resale ministry is about far more than “stuff.” It is about stewardship, generosity, and transforming donated resources into life-changing opportunities for others.

If you enjoy organizing, treasure hunting, sales, customer service, online marketplaces, or simply being part of a practical ministry that makes a real impact, we would love to have you join the team.

Together, we can turn generosity into hope.

Golf Scramble

Make sure you get this date on your calendar!

Mentors Needed

Menard’s Rebates

Looking for an easy way to support Hope Village?

Do you have Menards receipts? We collect them and apply for the rebates. Feel free to mail us your receipts, or your unused rebates. We have friends that send in their rebate forms and have the rebates sent directly to us!! We have installed a mail box near our front door to deposit these items into.

Various churches in the area also collect rebates for us too. This was the brain child of Diane Bergquist. Those rebates come in handy when we purchase construction materials but they also come in handy for purchasing cleaning supplies.

Interested in volunteering?

1. Building and Maintenance Team

Responsibilities: Maintaining and repairing our property, tiny houses, and community center.

Tasks: Weekly “To-Do” lists include various jobs, from minor repairs to more substantial projects.

Time Commitment: Flexible, ranging from 20 minutes to a few hours.

2. Cleaning, Stocking, and Inventory Team

Responsibilities: Ensuring cleanliness and restocking of tiny houses for new guests.

Collaboration: Works closely with the Stocking and Inventory teams.

Training: New members receive guidance from experienced volunteers.

3. Community Center Staffing Team

Responsibilities: Opening and overseeing the community center from 6 am to 10 pm.

Perks: You can read, craft, or use our Wi-Fi during your two-hour shifts.

4. Fundraising Team

Responsibilities: Planning fundraising activities and supporting events.

Opportunities: Joining our annual Quarter Auction and partnering with local organizations for fundraising.

5. Grant Writing Team

Responsibilities: Seeking and writing grants for general expenses and affordable housing development.

Requirement: Grant writing experience needed.

6. Guest Support Team

7. Housing Search Team

Responsibilities: Helping guests find safe and affordable housing.

Activities: Assisting with applications, rental resumes, and maintaining a rental list.

8. Donation Collection and Resale Team

Responsibilities: Collecting donations and selling items online.

Acquisitions: Collect items from estate sales on Monday mornings.

Contribution: Preparing items for sale and donating unsalable items.

9. Mentor Team

A Hope Village Mentor is a trained volunteer who provides guidance, accountability, and encouragement to guests, supporting their progress toward stable housing and self‑sufficiency through consistent communication, goal support, and connection to resources.

Involvement: Daily contact with guest, in person weekly meetings with guest and navigator, and event/classes support.

10. Promotional and Outreach Team

Responsibilities: Educating the public about Hope Village through website maintenance, newsletters, and storytelling.

Collaborations: Works closely with other teams to promote events.

Meetings: Monthly virtual meetings, with tasks assigned and worked on independently.

11. Resale Store Staffing Team

The Hope Village Resale Store team is seeking volunteers to help us expand our hours of operation. Currently, the store is open one day per week, and with your support, we hope to increase that to three or more days. Volunteers will staff the store during open hours, assist customers with questions about merchandise, and handle purchases. By joining this team, you’ll play a key role in supporting Hope Village while helping community members discover quality, affordable items.

12. Volunteer Organization Team

Responsibilities: Managing and coordinating volunteers, communicating team needs, and conducting background checks.

Additional Roles: Organizing small teams, like the grass mowing team.

Maintenance: Maintains a master list of volunteers.

Click Here to Volunteer!

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